Metal Review: Veil of Maya – Eclipse

Veil of Maya have been one of the few bands in the metalcore genre that I really enjoy for quite a while. Though they’re often just passed off as a band whose songs are one big string of breakdowns, I’ve found their songwriting to be solid and memorable. Not the easiest thing to say about most metalcore bands.

They really hooked me with their 2010 album [id]. Their newest album, Eclipse, is some next level shit. While they started out sounding pretty similar to their labelmates Born of Osiris, theyâ€™ve continued to head in their own direction and carving out their own sound. A lot of their new creative input comes from producer Misha Mansoor, a guitarist from the band Periphery.

Veil of Maya seem more focused than ever. Eclipse relies less on breakdowns and more on technicality and atmosphere, attributes that were lacking on [id]. This feels like the first Veil of Maya album with its own distinct character.

At its core, though, this is still a metal album that is mainly focused on the guitar. Guitarist Marc Okubo sounds the best he ever has and brings new ideas to the table with his already technical playing. â€œWinter is Coming Soonâ€ boasts some excellent leads, and â€œPunisherâ€ shows that Marc can write a hell of a breakdown.

Speaking of “Winter is Coming Soon”, it’s probably my favorite track on the album. There is a lot of groove and atmosphere but also a lot of technicality while still being a well-written song. “The Glass Slide” is another excellent track, playing with a Latin groove at times while still maintaining the typical Veil of Maya guitar riffs.

Iâ€™m really impressed with this record, and the only thing I could think of to criticize is its length. It clocks in at under 30 minutes, and the listener is left wanting more.